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Fire crews are appealing to householders not to light bonfires during the coronavirus pandemic to help reduce air pollution for those suffering from the virus or other respiratory infections.

It follows a spate of calls to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service control centre from residents concerned about fires being lit in their neighbour’s back garden.

Fire chiefs are urging people to 'think of others' when it comes to making the decision on whether to burn their waste as the smoke could aggravate symptoms of those with respiratory problems - including those self-isolating with Covid-19.

They also say they risk the flames spreading and creating a fire - like what happened when flames from an out-of-control fire pit spread to a fence and damaged a car in Nuneaton on Monday night.

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Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Services group manager, Tim Sargent said:“At this time, we are urging residents to think of others. We have already seen a small rise in fires in people’s back gardens and we don’t want the situation to get any worse.

"People may not realise it, but the effects of bonfires at this time are likely to be much more serious and have a bigger impact on the health of those suffering from the virus or other respiratory conditions.

“Therefore, we are urging residents not to burn garden waste or other materials during this period of the lockdown.

"This will not only help the health and well-being of those at home who may be ill, but it will also significantly reduce the chances of a fire getting out of control and spreading to neighbouring properties, which creates extra pressure on the already busy emergency services.”

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While the advice is to not have bonfires, a spokesman for Nuneaton Fire Station urged people planning on having a controlled fire with waste they had planned to take to the tip to contact them in advance.

"People are having controlled fires of their waste but their neighbours are calling them into us as fires," the spokesman said.

"If people are going to have a controlled fire to get rid of their waste, we would ask that they notify our fire control first, not on 999, so that we are aware and are not mobilised if we receive calls from neighbours or passers-by."